Creating a seller account on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) is only the first step. Before a government buyer can place an order with you, you have to complete your profile, list what you sell (or get authorised to sell a brand), and, once orders come, follow the delivery and acceptance steps that trigger payment. Most new sellers who say “GeM is not working for us” have stopped at sign-up or at an incomplete profile.
This post covers what happens after registration, in the order you will meet it. If you would rather have the account set up and your first catalogue listing done for you, our GeM seller onboarding service handles those steps.
1. Finish the seller profile
A GeM account with a half-filled profile cannot list products or bid. According to the GeM seller FAQs, the profile has to cover, among other things:
- Business details matching the PAN and the constitution you registered with (proprietorship, firm, company, trust, society, government body).
- Office locations, including the registered office and any branches or warehouses you supply from.
- Bank account. You can add more than one, but one is marked primary, and payments go to it only after it is verified through PFMS (the government’s public financial management system). An error mentioning a missing PFMS code means the account is not verified yet.
- Tax details, including income tax assessment details for recent years and GSTIN where applicable.
- Vendor assessment status, or an exemption from it (see below).
- MSE or startup status, if you have it. This is optional, but it is what lets the system apply purchase preferences and bid relaxations meant for those categories.
Keep the profile details consistent with your PAN, GST and Udyam records. Mismatches are a common reason for verification failures.
2. Vendor assessment, if you are a manufacturer or brand owner
GeM distinguishes between an OEM (the manufacturer or brand owner) and a reseller (who sells another company’s brand). The GeM FAQs describe vendor assessment as mandatory for OEMs unless they fall in an exempted category, and optional for resellers. The assessment checks that the manufacturer actually exists and has the capacity it claims. It is done once and then appears on the profile. Plan for it before your first listing, because a product cannot go live under your brand without it where it applies.
3. Get your brand approved or get authorised to sell one
- As an OEM, you register your brand on GeM. If it is a trademark, keep the registration or application details ready.
- As a reseller, you need the OEM (who must itself be on GeM) to authorise you for the brand and products you want to sell. Without that authorisation, the listing is not accepted.
4. Build your catalogue
For products, the FAQ lists the steps: open the catalogue section, add a product, choose the category, then enter general information, catalogue details, quantity and price, technical specifications and images, review the terms, and publish. Practical points:
- Pick the right category. Each category has its own mandatory specifications. A product in the wrong category is often rejected or never appears in buyers’ searches.
- You set the price, but buyers compare listings side by side, so price against what similar sellers offer.
- Keep stock and offer validity current. An expired listing simply disappears from the buyer’s view.
- Services are listed through service categories with their own parameters (for example, manpower, cab hiring or cleaning services).
5. Watch for bids and reverse auctions
Smaller purchases can be made directly from catalogues, but many government purchases go to a bid or a reverse auction. To take part:
- check new bids in your categories regularly, so you do not miss short bid windows;
- read the bid document fully: eligibility, experience and turnover conditions, earnest money (EMD) and performance security requirements, delivery period and consignees;
- check whether you qualify for relaxations or EMD exemptions as an MSE or a recognised startup in that bid;
- submit before the closing time, with documents signed as required.
Withdrawing a bid after submission, or refusing an order you have won, can have consequences under GeM’s terms, so only bid where you can deliver.
6. Caution money and other seller charges
GeM has changed its seller charges over the years. In 2020 it introduced a turnover-linked caution money deposit for sellers (described in a GeM user document), which could be forfeited for things like rejecting orders or withdrawing bids. The position has changed since then. Before you bid, check the current charges and deposit rules shown on your seller dashboard and in GeM’s current terms rather than relying on older articles.
7. Accept and fulfil the order
When a buyer places an order, you see it on the dashboard and must act on it within the time allowed. Then you supply to the consignee named in the order, raise the invoice through GeM, and upload the delivery details.
8. Acceptance and payment
Payment is tied to two documents the consignee generates on GeM:
- PRC (Provisional Receipt Certificate): confirms the goods arrived. The FAQs say it is generated within 48 hours of receipt.
- CRAC (Consignee Receipt and Acceptance Certificate): confirms the goods were inspected and accepted. The FAQs say it is due within 10 days, and if the consignee does not act, the goods are treated as accepted and GeM generates the CRAC.
Once the CRAC is generated, the buyer’s paying authority processes the bill. For PFMS-linked payments, the FAQs describe a 10-day period from CRAC for payment. You can see the CRAC and payment status shipment by shipment in the order details. If a payment is delayed, raise it through GeM’s incident or grievance tools rather than only by email to the buyer.
9. Your rating builds over time
GeM keeps a vendor rating for each seller, built from how you perform on orders, and buyers can see it. Delivering a few small orders cleanly usually does more for your visibility than a large catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
Does registration on GeM bring orders by itself?
No. Registration and listing make you visible to buyers; orders depend on your price, category, eligibility in bids and delivery record.
Can a reseller list products without the brand’s involvement?
No. The OEM has to be on GeM and has to authorise the reseller for its products.
Can I change the primary bank account later?
Yes, but the new account has to be verified through PFMS before payments can be received in it, so change it well before an order is due for payment.
Does GeM charge sellers caution money?
GeM introduced a turnover-linked caution money deposit for sellers in 2020, which could be forfeited for things like rejecting orders or withdrawing bids. The position has changed since then, so check the current charges and deposit rules on your seller dashboard and in GeM’s current terms before you bid.
Complianto (complianto.in), operated by Mentorcorp Private Limited, is a private consultancy and is not affiliated with any government body. We do not issue official documents. We charge a professional fee for application assistance and advisory services. Applicants can apply directly to the government without our fees via the official portals: MCA (mca.gov.in), Income Tax (incometax.gov.in), GST (gst.gov.in), MSME (udyamregistration.gov.in), FSSAI (foscos.fssai.gov.in), Startup India (startupindia.gov.in), and IP India (ipindia.gov.in).
This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
